(i) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the cable drive assembly and more particularly, to a modular cable drive hoist assembly for transporting and for raising and lowering wire cables.
(ii) Description of the Related Art
Workers rigging suspended scaffolds on high rise buildings are required to lower steel wire ropes or cables over the side of the building. These ropes are attached to outrigger beams or other similar support systems on a roof top and the ropes are then fed through electric hoists on the scaffold platform so that the platform can be used to access the building wall face.
On buildings of moderate height, the weight of the wire ropes can be managed relatively easily by workers. However, as building heights increase the weight of the wire ropes becomes very difficult to handle. In addition, the fact that the wire ropes need to be lowered over the side of the building and connected to the support system outboard of the wall face presents a very real safety hazard.
With consideration to these concerns, various safety standards have indicated that mechanical means such as an electric hoist should be used for raising and lowering the wire ropes during the rigging process on taller structures. However to date no one has developed a suitable product to address this need.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a modular dismantable hoist system so that individual hoist components can be easily transported to a building location and up to the building roof for reassembly on site.
It is another object of the invention to provide a portable hoist system for the safe handling and raising and lowering of wire ropes from tall buildings.